Container



R. HUG- CONTAINER May 1l, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 11, 1963 hun@ 6 IIIIII May 11, 196s y R. au@ 3,182,842

CONTAINER Filed Feb. 11, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 T'z'qz 6 La: o

. v2a 6 *fg 5 /7 f7 g l5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 R. HUG

CONTAINER United States Patent O s claims. (ci. 21S-1s) This invention is concerned with an improved container made from thermoplastic synthetic resin, a process` for its production and an apparatus suitable for use in the production of the container.

Double-Walled containers made from synthetic resin, which comprise an interior portion adapted to receive the contents and an exterior portion, different in shape from the interior portion, are known. used especially for packing cosmetics, such as ointments, creams and the like.

Containers of this type are generally produced in two parts, the two parts being joined together, for example, by glueing, fusion, or even only by a tight iit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a doublewalled container which is of integral construction, that is, the inner and outer portions are formed from a single blank.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a doublewalled container made from thermoplastic synthetic resin comprising an interior portion adapted to receive the contents and an exterior portion shaped differently from the interior portion, in which the interior and exterior portions are formed from a single thin-walled, self-closed hollow body.

The container according to the invention may be formed from any suitable thermoplastic synthetic resin, for example polystyrene or polyethylene, or a polyacrylate or poly-methacrylate; polyvinyl chloride is particularly preerred.

If desired,'the outside of the mouth of the container may be provided with means for attaching a closure7 for example, a iiange, one or more grooves or a thread, so that the container may be closed, for example with a snapclosure or screw-on lid.

The container according to the invention may be produced in any convenient manner, for example by moulding. Preferably, the container is produced by a process which constitutes a feature of the invention, in which a hollow blank of thermoplastic synthetic resin in plastic condition is formed in the interior of the mould and a cavity is formed in said blank by displacing a part of the mould towards and into the interior of the hollow blank.

The hollow blank may be formed inside the mould, for example, by applying a uid under pressure onto one side of the blank.

Preferably, the hollow blank is substantially prevented from detaching itself from the sidesV of the ,mould during the cavity-forming step by means of one or more grooves formed in the side(s) of the mould near that part of the mould at which the cavity is formed.

During the formation of the cavity, it is preferred to maintain an excess pressure in the interior of the hollow blank.

When the cavity has been formed, it is preferred to press substantially tlat the curved portion of the con- Such containers are 3,182,84; Patented May 11, 196.'

ice

the container and an adjacent second tube-like sectio bounded by a movable mould portion capable of bein displaced towards and into the interior of said rst se tion, said movable portion comprising a plunger and sleeve surrounding said plunger. Y

Preferably, the plunger comprises two members Whic are capable of being moved independently of each othe The first mould section is preferably provided with least one groove near the joint between the first Sectio and the second section, so that, in operation, the hollo bodyv formed within the mould may be substantially pn vented from separating from the side of the mould.

For a better understanding of the invention, a preferre embodiment of the container, as well as a preferre method of carrying out the process for the productic thereof, and a preferred embodiment of an apparatus sui able for carrying out the process, will now be describe for the purposes of illustration only, with reference 1 the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals ai used to refer to like parts throughout.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a pr ferred form of the container according to the inventio:

FIGURES 2 to 7 show consecutive steps in the pn duction of the container shown in FIGURE 1, the a] paratus being shown in sectional elevation.

self-closed, thin Walled hollow bodyl of thermoplast tainer joining the interior and exterior portions, by means i of a movable part of the mould which is preferably annular in shape.

The invention also provides an apparatus suitable for use in the production of containers according to the invention. Said apparatus comprises a iirst section generally corresponding in shape to the exterior portion of synthetic resin. As indicated above. any desired thermi plastic synthetic resin may be used for the formation i the container, polyvinyl chloride bein-g particularly pn ferred.

The interior portion of the container, which is adapte to receive the contents, encloses a space 2. The exteri( portion 3 of the container is shaped differently from tl interior portion 2. The outside of the mouth of the co1 tainer is provided with a thread 4 so that the containt may, if desired, be closed with a screw-on lid. Hor ever, depending on the type of closure it is desired to us the thread may be replaced by other suitable means fc retaining the closure in position, such as, for exampl a ilange or groove for retaining a snap-on cap.

Particularly suitable for the production of the co1 tainer according to the invention is a mould comprisir a plurality of parts, which may be opened and closed conventional manner. Such a mould is shown, open,

` FIGURE 2. The mould shown in FIGURE 2 compris two halves, 5 and 6, In the first stage of the process tl mould is placed open beneath an extrusion head 7, fro; which is extruded a hollow strand 8 of thermoplastic sy: thetic resin in plastic condition.

FIGURE 3 shows the next stage in the process, t mould having been closed. A part of the hollow strar 8 is cutoff within the.mould by the pairs of jaws 9 ar 10. A bar llraixed to the half-mould 6 pushes the strat 8 aside, so that an injection needle 12 may be inserte through an opening in the jaws9 into the interior of tl portion 1.3 of the strand 8.

In the next step, compressed air is introduced throng the needle 12 into the interior of the portion .1 thereby expanding the resin and forming a single hollo body which conforms in shape to the mould. The a which is trapped between the sides of the mould and tl strand portion 13 escapes at the joint between the hal moulds. This stage of the process is shown in FI( URE 4.

The interior of the mould may be divided, for co: venience, into two sections, that is, a rst section Z :rally corresponding in shape to the exterior portion the container, and a second section 23, from which interior portion 2 of the container is formed. The Lion between the two sections 22 and 23 is `indicated the broken line 24. It will be appreciated that ughout these stages the resin remains in plastic state. i the next stage of the process as shown in FIGURE he interior portion of the container is formed by incing the lower part of the mould towards and into interior of the hollow body. As shown in FIGURE 1e piston, which consists yof twov movable members .nd l5 is advanced, in the direction of the arrow 16.

lie movable members M and l5 are provided with( lil and are adapted to be separated simultaneously the opening of the mould by separating the halflds 5 and 6. Excess pressure is maintained in the 'ior of the hollow body during the advance of the lbers 14 and 15. 'ne members ld and 15 are surrounded by a movable .fe ld which is in two sections. The member 1S is ided with a pin 17 which is adapted to engage with sleeve l. The upper end of the sleeve forms a llat ace 19. FIGURE 6 the members i4 and l5 have reached terminal position. Simultaneously the surface 19 ses against the resin, thus forming a iiat surface 20 ld the rim of the container. Preferably, the depth 1e mould section 23 is slightly smaller than the depth he interior portion 2 of the container, so that' the l is subjected to a slight tension during this step of process to produce a smooth surface inside the portion ld on the upper surface, Ztl of the rim. Je groove 2l (FIGURE 2) lfrom which the thread moulded, formed in the sides of the mould, serves to ce the risk of the hollow body separating from the i of the mould. lf desired, the groove 2l may take other suitable non-threadlike shape. Alternatively, gh excess pressure may be maintained within the holbody. hen the members 14 and 15 have reached the termiposition, the resin is allowed to solidify and excess sure inside the hollow body is released. o open the mould, the members 14 and l5 should be withdrawn. Preferably, one of the members 14 l5 is first withdrawn through a short distance. This e is shown in FIGURE 7, where the member 1S is ltly displaced and member ld remains in the terminal tion, so that the piece of resin 21a remaining between iaws may be loosened. Both members le and l5 are removed and the mould opened by separating half- :lds 5 and 6. The mould may then be used for a her cycle of operations. claim:

A double-walled container made from thermoplastic hetic resin, comprising an interior portion adapted eceive the contents and an exterior portion shaped :rently from the interior portion, in which the interior exterior portions are formed from a single, thined, self-closed hollow body, said exterior portion hava peripheral wall which has an axis, a bottom wall an upper neck of diameter no greater than the diamof said peripheral wall, said inner portion comprisa peripheral wall and a bottom .wall respectively edly and unsupportedly opposing the outer portion pheral wall and bottom wall, said inner portion peripheral wall extending into said neck and spaced therefrom, said container also comprising a flat annular top rim transverse to said axis, the outer edge of said rim connected to the upper edge of said neck, the inner edge of said rim connected to the top edge of said inner portion peripheral wall.

2. A process for the production of the container as claimed in claim l, comprising blow molding a single body blank of said thermoplastic synthetic resin in a mold,y said body blank having an upper portion correly sponding to the nished exterior portion in inverted condition and a lower portion having a blank peripheral wall of diameter equal to the diameter of said neck, anda bottom blank wall, moving a plunger of diameter equal to iinished interior portion diameter upwardly into the mold against the bottom blank wall a distance suliicient to form the material of the blank lower portion into the iinished interior portion in inverted condition with the interior portion top wall against the top of the plunger and the interior portion peripheral wallV around the periphery of the plunger, then moving a sleeve over said plunger and upwardly into said mold to atten the connection between the inner and outer portion peripheral walls into the iinished rim, and withdrawing the sleeve and plunger.

3. A container according to claim 1 wherein the exterior of the neck of the container is provided with means for attaching a closure.

4. A container according to claim 3 wherein said thermoplastic synthetic resin is polyvinyl chloride.

5. A process for the production of a container as claimed in claim l in which a hollow blank of therm0- plastic synthetic resin in plastic condition is blow-moulded f in the interior of a mould and a cavity is formed in said blank by displacing a part of the mould towards and into the interior of the hollow blank.

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the hollow blank is vsubstantially prevented from detaching itself from the sides of the mould during the cavity-forming step by means of one or more grooves formed in the side of the mouldnear that part of the mould at which the cavity is formed.

' 7. A process according to claim 5 in which an excess pressure is maintained in the interior of the hollow blank during the cavity-forming step.

- 8. A process according to claim 7 in which, after the formation of the cavity, a curved portion of the container joining the interior and exterior portions is pressed to a substantially flat surface by means of a movable part of the mould.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,627,649 5/27 Karabin et al. 21S-13 2,051,446 8/36 Ice 215-132 2,725,733 12/55 Davis 21S-13 2,776,069 l/57 Zimmerman 220-9 3,016,159 l/62 Bramming 21S-13 3,025,562 3/62 Nelson 18-5 3,028,624 4/62 Parfrey et al. 18-5 THERoN E. CoNDoN, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. A DOUBLE-WALLED CONTAINER MADE FROM THERMOPLASTIC SYNTHETIC RESIN, COMPRISING AN INTERIOR PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE CONTENTS AND AN EXTERIOR PORTION SHAPED DIFFERENTLY FROM THE INTERIOR PORTION, IN WHICH THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PORTIONS ARE FORMED FROM A SINGLE, THINWALLED, SELF-CLOSED HOLLOW BODY, SAID EXTERIOR PORTION HAVING A PERIPHERAL WALL WHICH HAS AN AXIS, A BOTTOM WALL AND AN UPPER NECK OF DIAMATER NO GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID PERIPHERAL WALL, SAID INNER PORTION COMPRISING A PERIPHERAL WALL AND A BOTTOM WALL RESPECTIVELY SPACEDLY AND UPSUPPORTEDLY OPPOSING THE OUTER PORTION PERIPHERAL WALL AND BOTTOM WALL, SAID INNER PORTION PERIPHERAL WALL EXTENDING INTO SAID NECK AND SPACED THEREFROM, SAID CONTAINER ALSO COMPRISING A FLAT ANNULAR TOP RIM TRANSVERSE TO SAID AXIS, THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID RIM CONNECTED TO THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID NECK, THE INNER EDGE OF SAID RIM CONNECTED TO THE TOP EDGE OF SAID INNER PORTION PERIPHERAL WALL. 